Get focus confirmation with FD lens

[Frank Kolwicz]

This was a tag on to my previous post, but I figured that it should be a separate item.

I have my FD500L converted to EF mount for use with my 5DII. The conversion uses a custom-made EF lens mount that, of course, has no electronics and therefore can't talk to the camera to allow focus confirmation as with a modern Canon lens.

If I install a Canon EF lens mount with all the electrics in place of the custom mount, will I be able to then get focus confirmation via the 5D?

I often use the lens with a teleconverter and/or an extension tube, both of which have the electrical contacts and I still don't get f/c, so it seems something else is needed, as per the chip hack I mentioned, but that should be on the EF mount, no?

I've also queried Canon tech support on this question and, if I get a useful reply, I'll post it here.

[Bob Atkins]

I very much doubt Canon will have anything useful to say. The party line is that you don't modify anything and if you do, you're on your own.

You can buy an AF focus confirmation chip which you simply glue onto the contactless EF mount in the correct position so that the contacts on the chip line up with the contacts in the camera when the lens is mounted.

Go to ebay [see link below] and type "canon af chip" in the seach box. I can't guaranteee they will work and I can't guarantee they won't screw up your camera (remember the party line...). However I do have an adapter with such a chip on it and it seems to work and so far hasn't damaged any EOS camera bodies.